Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus that is able to provide measurements at the rate required for a production line using sensors that are individually slower than the rate required to match the rate of the production line.
Description of the Related Art
Measurements of parameters of interest in gasses or liquids are commonly desired on goods being produced for sale on a production line running at a high rate of speed. One problem often faced is that the sensors capable of performing the desired measurement accurately, reliably and economically may require a time to perform the measurement that is longer than the time available at a point on the production line. When this situation occurs the measurement cannot be taken without reducing the speed of the production line which increases the costs of production. Alternatively a more expensive sensor may be employed for the measurement which also increases the costs of production. Therefore it would be desirable to have a way to utilize the preferred sensor in a manner that enables the production line to produce goods at the maximum possible rate.
There is more than one method to address this problem currently in use but all have deficiencies. One method currently used to utilize the preferred sensor in a manner that enables the production line to produce goods at the maximum possible rate is to divide the production line and utilize multiple sensors. Briefly, this method splits the production line into parallel segments, each operating at a correspondingly slower rate of production, and each utilizing the one of the preferred sensors to perform a measurement. This has the disadvantage of requiring multiple segments of the production line, each typically requiring costly production equipment to be dedicated to it.
Another method currently used to utilize the preferred sensor in a manner that enables the production line to produce goods at the maximum possible rate is to create a circular path for the goods being produced that causes the goods to stay in the same general location for a longer period of time. During this longer period of time a plurality of sensors to perform the desired measurement can be employed. This method also has the disadvantage of requiring costly production equipment to be dedicated to it to create the circular path and move the goods along the circular path.
There is currently no apparatus to utilize a preferred sensor requiring a measurement time longer than the time available at a measurement point on the production line in a manner that enables the production line to produce goods at the maximum possible rate without additional production equipment cost. Referenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,305,887 issued to Krieg, et al. describes an apparatus that utilizes two or more sensors to perform a measurement simultaneously; however the apparatus disclosed requires a circular path with an inner and outer track for the separate measurement sensors thus adding costly production equipment to perform the measurement.
Existing methods of utilizing a preferred sensor requiring a measurement time longer than the time available at a measurement point on the production line in a manner that enables the production line to produce goods at the maximum possible rate all require costly additional production equipment or require the speed of the production line to be reduced. Thus there is a need for an apparatus that would provide a capability to measure a characteristic of a gas or liquid sample at a faster rate than the sensors alone are capable of.